Redefining rural education: exploring EFL teachers’ perceptions and recommendations for enhanced human resource management practices

In the realm of education, the efficacy of human resource management (HRM) is paramount in determining the quality of instruction, enhancing learners’ experiences and driving overall educational success. Despite its importance, existing research on HRM in education has predominantly been from an administrative or policy perspective. Consequently, this study purposed to fill this research void by exploring the perceptions of HRM practices amongst 97 rural English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in Sulawesi, Indonesia, and offering tangible recommendations for enhancement based on these teachers’ insights. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach of questionnaires and interviews, the research disclosed that many rural EFL teachers exhibited an indifferent attitude towards HRM practices. However, a detailed analysis from interviews uncovered areas for potential enhancements in HRM, specifically in job satisfaction, professional development, motivation and performance recognition. This paper concludes by outlining practical recommendations, such as enhancing communication conduits between teachers and human resource departments to better acknowledge and address teachers’ concerns, and proposes further research on other potential factors that might affect teachers’ perceptions of HRM practices.